(Joshua Paladino, Headline USA) A Chinese state media outlet accidentally published “censorship instructions” for discussing the Russo-Ukrainian war, including that messaging should not interfere with China’s ultimate goal of conquering Taiwan “once and for all.”
The senior editor at the CCP-run Xinhua News Agency, Ming Jinwei, wrote on the WeChat blog that media coverage should recognize that China both “has to back Russia up with emotional and moral support while refraining from treading on the toes of the United States and European Union,” according to Fox News.
“In the future, China will also need Russia’s understanding and support when wrestling with America to solve the Taiwan issue once and for all,” Ming posted.
Ming added that media coverage slightly favoring Russia “doesn’t hurt,” ZeroHedge reported.
Russia has not recognized China’s claim to Taiwan, but the CCP hopes that the Ukrainian invasion will make Russia more sympathetic to China‘s irredentist claims.
As Russia invaded Ukraine, the Chinese Air Force sent nine fighter planes into Taiwanese air space, and Taiwan scrambled fighter jets to push them back, the Daily Mail reported.
Horizon News, a social media account affiliated with CCP-controlled Beijing News, posted similar censorship instructions on Weibo, a Twitter-like Chinese website.
“From now on, for Ukraine-related topics, post them on Weibo,” the post said according to translators on Twitter. “All post on Shimian first and then on our major account to promote Shimian. Don’t post anything against Russia or pro-west. Let me review your words before posting.”
Horizon News also said that Chinese newspapers should follow the three leading CCP media outlets: People’s Daily, Xinhua, and CCTV.
Both Ming and Horizon News deleted their posts shortly after publication.
In his post, Ming said China must not offend either the Russians or the Western powers because, “In the Ukraine crisis, a slight nudge will trigger a chain reaction.”
But he advised Chinese leaders to praise Russia in private and acknowledge that “problems principally came from America,” while remaining more neutral in public settings.
